As the need for personal fitness trainers grows in the United States, so is the need for accreditation. People increasingly understand the value of trained and qualified personal trainers and how this impacts their fitness goals.
If you are thinking about a career as a personal fitness trainer, then you need to understand what accreditation means and how to go about getting the right certification. Accreditation is the hallmark of quality. It assures your clients that you are a well-trained professional whom they can trust.
Here is what you need to know about Personal trainer certification accreditation
Understanding What Accreditation Means
One of the simplest definitions of accreditation is as an external review by an independent organization to assess the integrity and quality of a certification or educational program. When it comes to personal fitness training, this means having a body recognized as an expert in personal fitness. It also involves reviewing personal fitness certification programs to assess their quality.
In this case, the evaluating body would look at elements such as curriculum, operational practices, the qualifications that the instructors hold, and assessment methods. At its core, it is a process of giving any personal fitness certification program a seal of approval based on how well that certification program meets set industry standards.
To carry out the accreditation process, the evaluating body will audit the documents used in the training program. They will also conduct site visits to observe the training in action and, at times, interview instructors and students to verify compliance with industry standards.
Only if the training program meets these standards will the accrediting body give its seal of approval to the training program. Typically, the process will be reviewed regularly to verify that the standards are maintained at all times. This is to prevent training standards from slipping over time, which would make the accreditation process meaningless.
Why Personal Trainer Certification Accreditation Matters
As an individual aspiring to be a personal fitness trainer, you may be wondering how accreditation affects your career. In a nutshell, it helps you know which personal fitness training programs to sign up for and understand the benefits that these will deliver to you.
Let us expand this by giving you several reasons why accreditation is important to your personal fitness training career.
Gives You Recognition
One of the most important reasons why accreditation matters to your personal fitness career is the fact that it gives you instant recognition as a fitness training professional. When clients and potential employers see that you have undergone and completed an accredited personal fitness training certification program, they have a clear understanding of what your skill set is and the value that you can deliver to them.
Without this, it would be impossible for employers and clients to gauge your skills unless they have worked with you previously. As you can see, this is invaluable as it has a direct impact on your career and business prospects.
Indeed, your training and accreditation are among the first things that discerning clients and employers look for when signing up for a personal fitness training program.
Aligns You to Industry Standards
The area of personal fitness training is constantly changing, and new methods are always being implemented. Accreditation helps you to stay in alignment with these standards and assures you that the education you are getting is in line with current methods.
Since the accreditation process makes sure that best practices and industry standards are upheld across training programs, you can be confident in the quality of education you’ll receive.
Equally important, accreditation is an ongoing process that is regularly updated to make sure training programs teach skills aligned with the latest industry technologies and practices. As a result, you can trust that you’re receiving the most up-to-date industry knowledge when you enroll in an accredited fitness training program.
Better Career Prospects
When you enroll and complete an accredited personal fitness training course, you can be sure that your career prospects have received a boost. This is because potential clients and employers can get a good idea of what you are capable of and the benefits that you can deliver to them.
This, in turn, helps boost your career prospects as it makes it easier to sign up and maintain clients. Even better, there are real benefits to accreditation when it comes to job skills.
With the assurance that your accredited program equips you with the best skills, you’ll be able to offer exceptional personal fitness training to clients. This increases the likelihood that they’ll continue training with you and recommend your services to others.
Higher Earning Potential
When you complete an accredited personal fitness training program, you are more likely to earn more in the job market than someone who has not done the same. This is because accreditation gives employers an indication of the value that you bring to their businesses.
You can also charge clients a lot more relative to a fitness trainer who is not accredited, as clients understand the value that you bring to the table. All said, having an accredited certification puts you at an overall advantage and helps to boost your income.
What To Look For
Having understood what accreditation is and what it can do for you, you may be wondering how to go about identifying the right accreditation for your personal fitness training education.
Here are some things that you should look out for when choosing the right accreditation.
Select Reputable Bodies
Accreditation does not mean much if the accrediting body is not recognized. For this reason, it is important to familiarize yourself with recognized industry accreditation bodies.
In the United States, organizations such as the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) are some of the bodies that are recognized in the personal fitness training industry. There may be other bodies in your state, and researching these will help you make the right decision.
Verify Accreditation Status
Before enrolling in any personal fitness training course, you should always make sure that the organization is accredited and current. This can easily be done by checking with the accreditation organization, which is likely to have a list of all the training providers that it has accredited. If this cannot be verified, then there is a good chance that the training provider is not accredited, and this can negatively impact your career prospects.
Navigating the world of accreditation is easy if you understand what you are looking for. Accreditation can make a huge difference to your career prospects, so make sure that you verify any training provider’s accreditation. Reputable personal fitness training educators, such as the National Personal Training Institute of Florida, are fully accredited and deliver top-notch personal fitness training programs.
We offer hands-on experience opportunities for our students, so you are guaranteed a well-rounded education.
Reach out to us today and let us help you get your fitness training career going.
